BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELD HERITAGE INTERPRETATION PLAN
Advisory Committee Meeting #2
November 30, 2020 Agenda
Part 1 Part 2
1. Background Plan Review -- Break – (5 min)
2. Data Collection & Inventories 1. Themes and Subthemes Activity & Discussion 3. Draft Visitation Analysis
2. Next Steps 4. Draft Site Opportunities & Constraints
5. Heritage Center Checklist Activity & Discussion Background Document and Plan Review Background Plan Review
Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan
• Statement of Significance • Overall Topic/Theme Per Heritage Center
• Concept of Interpretation Network • Information about potential Heritage Centers and Interpretive Gateways Sites Heritage Centers Interpretive Sites • Trail Opportunities Viewing Corridors
• Open Space Preservation Opportunities Background Plan Review
Strategic Landscapes Plans Plum Run Corridor Master Plan
• Interpretation Strategies • Heritage Center Specific Plan
• • Themes & Subthemes Identifies Themes and Subthemes for Heritage Center
• Thematic Narrations • Focuses on Storytelling Related to Battle and Other Points in • Thematic Narration Treatment Village’s History Examples • Renderings and Implementation • Updated Historical Research Matrix
• Recreation, Natural Resources, Transportation and Access, Utilities Data & Inventories
All Partner Historic Resources Communities 43,834 Acres 43,900 Potential Heritage Center Sites 8 Potential Interpretive Sites 35 Project Other Historic Resources 121 Study Area On Public Land 5 18,574 Acres 17,365 On Nonprofit Land 4 On HOA Open Space 2 42% 40% On Commercial/ Institutional Land 15
5,392 Acres or 29% Mobility 180 Miles 42 Roads Total Existing Protected Land Bus Stops
Open Space Acres % 12 Miles 9 Miles Agricultural Easement 288 2% Existing Planned Land Trust Owned or 2,788 15% Bikeways Bikeways Eased Pending Easement 79 0.4% 16 Miles 25 Miles 9 Miles Public Land 593 3% Existing Planned Existing Trails Trails Sidewalks Other 1,723 9% Draft Visitation Analysis Education
Income
Key Facts: Residents Employment Businesses Chester County Tourism
AGE Duration of Stay Travel From
PA - 45% 21% 2 to 2.5 Days 19% 19% NJ – 12% 18% NY – 9% 15% DC – 6% 923 8% Businesses MD – 5% Gender 37% 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 18-24 Markets: Trends: Millennials, Experience, active & adventurous, food, 63% Retirees connect with locals, short trips Female Male 9,132 Employees Delaware County Tourism
Key Markets Duration of Stay NYC DC/Baltimore 38% 62% Visitors 14,068 Overnight Day Trips Spending 5.1M Jobs $2,006,040 18% Lodging Total Sales ($000) 33% Local ~ Transport = ~ 24% $781M $103M $478 Food & Visitor Spending State and Local Per Household Beverage 11% Rec & Taxes Generated 14% Attractions Retail Greater Philadelphia Region Tourism
Trends: • Historic sites & museums/galleries ranked Visitation Duration of Stay Key Markets highly. Greater visitation Day – Philadelphia, NYC, than national average. 23.3M Day Trips 2.5 Days Harrisburg-Lancaster-York- Lebanon • Higher HH income 15.6M Overnight Overnight – NYC, Philadelphia, DC • More highly educated
Brandywine Battlefield Park Other Am Rev Sites & Events
Paid Admissions 4,406
Personal Tours 180 MoAR VFNP Other Events 636 Visitors 300K per Year 2.2M per Year Ave per Year School, Summer Programs 1,338 50K = Students
Open Origins (7/17-11/17) Town Tours & Reenactment (2017) 200 Days per Year US: 42 of 50 States, Village Walks (2017) 14,000 Guests March – December DC, & Puerto Rico 2,353 Guests 900 Reenactors June – September (Full) Abroad: 6 Countries 12 Tours + 3 Lectures 2 Days at Sandy Hollow Draft Site Opportunities & Constraints Model: Strode’s Mill Heritage Center
Size: 1-mile segment
Ownership • Public, East Bradford Township
Historic • Transition between northern battlefield and combat site • British flanking march • Strode’s Barn • Strode’s Mill Historic District
National Register Y Natural Interpretive Site Y • Plum Run, wetlands, meadow Combat and Brandywine Battlefield National Historic Landmark HC Candidate Site: Birmingham Hill
Size: 113 acres
Ownership • Private with public access, Brandywine Conservancy
Historic • Defining feature • Core combat area • Some of most intense combat occurred here • Birmingham Historic District
Landmark Y Natural Locally Significant Y • Fields, majestic oak, Interpretive Site Y topography, future pond to wetland restoration, hyacinths, woodlands 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 1 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 4 Potential Interpretive Sites 8 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Public Access – Yes • Master Plan – Being conducted
• Existing Buildings – Yes
• Existing Parking – Yes
• Space for Future Parking – Yes
• Visible from Roadway – Yes
• Existing Interpretive Facilities – Yes
• Planned Trails – Yes Candidate Site: Thornbury Farm
Size: 167 acres
Ownership • Private, with public access
Historic • Core combat area • British troops crossed attacking American cannon positions • Topography & way Battle was fought
Natural • Woodlands, fields, topography, streams Landmark Y Interpretive Site Y 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 1 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 5 Potential Interpretive Sites 7 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Existing Parking – Yes • Public Access – Private working farm • Space for Future Parking – Yes • Existing Buildings – Existing structures, none suited for reuse as • Visible from Roadway – Yes heritage center
• Planned trails – Yes • Topography – Land steep in areas Village of Dilworthtown HC/ “Washington’s Strategic Retreat” HC Candidate Site: Dilworth Farm
Size: 10 acres
Ownership • Private, with future public access, American Battlefield Trust
Historic • Farmhouse on land willed by James Dilworth to his son in 1769 • Birmingham Historic District • Adjacent to Dilworthtown Historic District
Natural Landmark Y • Fields Locally Significant Y 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 2 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 2 Potential Interpretive Sites 7 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Public Access – Yes • Existing Building – Barn close to busy Birmingham Road, needs stabilization and restoration • Existing Buildings – Yes
• Existing Parking – Yes
• Space for Future Parking – Yes
• Visible from Roadway – Yes Candidate Site: Dilworthtown
Size: 3.7 acres
Ownership • Private, with some public access
Historic • Defining feature • Crossroad village • Community center with tavern & blacksmith • Vigorous fighting during final hours of battle • American troops marched through during National Register (multiple) Y retreat • Cover & concealment • Dilworthtown Historic District 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 2 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 2 Potential Interpretive Sites 10 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Public Access – Yes • Existing Buildings – In private ownership • Existing Buildings – Yes
• Existing Parking – Yes
• Visible from Roadway – Yes
• Existing Interpretive Facilities – Yes
• Existing Sidewalks – Yes Candidate Site: Brinton Run Preserve Size: 72 acres
Ownership • Private, with future public access, North American Land Trust
Historic • Defining feature • Part of Rearguard Defense: final push against British, allowing remainder of American army to retreat • Observation/Field of Fire • 4th British Brigade line • Dilworthtown Historic District
Natural • Woodlands, fields, streams, pond 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 2 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 2 Potential Interpretive Sites 11 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Public Access – Yes • Existing Parking – Limited
• Existing Buildings – Yes • Visible from Roadway – Existing structures not visible from roadway • Existing Parking – Yes • Vision for Property – Conducted • Space for Future Parking – Yes
• Planned Bikeways – Yes Village of Chadds Ford HC/ “Washington’s Defense” HC Candidate Site: Chadds Ford Village
Ownership • Private, with some public access
Historic • Ford • Part of Chadds Ford Staging and Combat Area • Americans established camps • British took control of village and Americans retreated • Chadds Ford Historic District
Natural • Brandywine Creek, National Register (multiple) Y pond, wetlands, trees 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 1 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 4 Potential Interpretive Sites 4 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Public Access – Yes • Existing Buildings – In private ownership • Existing Buildings – Yes • Walkable Chadds Ford implementation will link to a Gateway, • Existing Parking – Yes the Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Planned trails, sidewalks, bikeways, & water access – Yes Candidate Site: Sanderson Museum
Size: 0.18 acres
Ownership • Private, with some public access, Sanderson Museum
Historic • Extensive collection of artifacts • Part of Chadds Ford Staging and Combat Area • Americans established camps • British took control of village and Americans retreated • Chadds Ford Historic District 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 1 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 4 Potential Interpretive Sites 6 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Public Access – Yes • Access – Semi-public through museum admission • Existing Buildings – Yes • Parking – Limited in front, ample in the rear • Existing Parking – Yes
• Visible from Roadway – Yes
• Existing Interpretive Facilities – Yes
• Planned trails, sidewalks, & bikeways – Yes Candidate Site: Anvil Tavern
Ownership • Private, with some public access, Longwood Gardens
Historic • Skirmish b/w Knyphausen & Maxwell troops • Relates to modern warfare in commercial areas • Professional & non- professional troops fought together National Register Y • Longwood Gardens Historic District Interpretive Site Y Natural • Gardens, woodlands, ponds, streams, topography 0 Gateways Within a ½ mile walking 0 Potential Heritage Centers radius, there are: 1 Potential Interpretive Sites 2 Additional Historic Sites
Opportunities Constraints/Notes
• Public Access – Yes • Roadways – Adjacent to Route 1 and Off Ramps • Existing Buildings – Yes • Heritage Centers – Close to Kennett Heritage Center • Visible from Roadway – Yes Heritage Criteria Yes No Center Criteria 1 Landowner must be supportive of a Heritage Center 6 Checklist on the property 2 The Township must be supportive of a Heritage 6 Activity Center in the community
3 All BBHIP municipalities must be supportive of 3 3 What should be key Heritage Center location criteria to inform Heritage Center Site 4 Staffing should be available to manage the Heritage 5 1 selection? Support Center 5 Site should be visible from the roadway 2 4
6 Site must currently have pedestrian and/or bicycle 1 5 connections (existing or planned) to multiple interpretive sites.
7 Site must have existing structures that can be 2 4 reused for indoor space.
8 Site must have existing parking 3 3 9 Site must have an existing bathroom 0 6 SiteCharacteristics 5 Minute Break Themes & Subthemes Activity